Crumb Coated Kisses
by XxWickedlyBeautifulxX
Summary: Ashleigh Valentina has just come back from her summer abroad with her parents. Ready for another year at Sweet Amoris, the young designer has no idea what's in store for her, or her friends. Follow Ashleigh as she goes through daily life and comes to find out that someone she has missed dearly has made a major comeback, but she may not be happy with what she finds.
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

**Ashleigh's POV**

It had been approximately one year since I moved to Sweet Amoris, a small town that had maybe a popularity of a thousand people. One year since my life changed, and it had been eleven months since I lost my best friend and the guy I was head over heels in love with.

My parents, Amoratina and Orlando Valentina were well known designers around the world. My mom was known for her wedding dresses, while my dad was known for a variety of different clothes. With them constantly busy all the time and having to travel , they decided to send me to Sweet Amoris where my Aunt Agatha could watch over me. Now what I mean by 'watch' was me living in my own apartment and her coming to check up on me every now and then.

You would think a sixteen year old having their own apartment would be awesome right? Sure, for the first week or so you enjoy the freedom to do what you please. Though after a while with just phone calls, and a few emails from your parents. Living alone gets awful lonely real quick.

Yet here I am once more, after spending the summer abroad with my parents and getting to actually produce my own clothing line, I'm back in the familiar environment of my apartment. Ready to go another year living independently, while gaining my education under the watchful eyes of my aunt.

Though with the upcoming school year starting, I couldn't help but feel something was going to be different than usual.

Well it was going to be different actually. Last year I started not knowing nobody in this school, now I'm coming back to a lot of friends who are like my second family.

Rosalya, was my go to girl for a model and fashion advice. Kim was like my personal body guard in school when it came to Amber. In fact I remember one time Amber tried to dump a bucket of water over me and Kim snuck up behind Amber, startling her and causing her to dump the water over herself! Violette was like the little sister I always wished for, we both loved to draw and enjoyed the school's garden. She was one of the people I spent most of my time with. Melody was a great friend, and hosted amazing slumber parties. The first one I went to was on her birthday and we all talked about the boys at our school, and gave make-overs while sharing a few secrets that to this day, haven't been mentioned.

Then there's also the boys I met. Nathaniel is my study buddy when it comes to exams and finals. Castiel I try to avoid especially when he's in one of his moods. Lysander is a major sweetheart, last year around Valentine's Day, he gave me a pink rose with a poem reminding me that I'm always important to someone out there. Armin and Alexy I swear are my brothers. I don't know how but we have to be related somehow. Armin and I are always chatting about new games coming out while Alexy is my male model when it comes to designing new clothes. I met Leigh through Rosalya and Lysander, he's super nice and has agreed to let me sell some of my designs in his shop this year!

I had made a good amount of friends in my first year at Sweet Amoris. With those new friends came new memories that I shall always cherish.

Now that I think about it. Things might not be so bad this year after all right?

Though this time _he_ wouldn't be there to welcome me back, nor would I feel _him_ hug me or even offer me a chocolate cookie. I won't get to console him whenever Amber hurts him or tries to steal his money. I won't get to hang out with him after school, or go with him to prom. My cookie monster, my best friend,_ Ken_ was gone, thanks to Amber and her posse of wannabe devils he was sent away to military school. Want to know the worst part about him being gone?

I realized I was _in_ _love _with him when it was too late.

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><p><em>Hehe surprise! It's been too long my fellow Candy lovers, and I am soo glad to finally be back and writing. Uploads should happen a bit more frequent with this story and I'm wanting to rework on "Worth Everything" once I have this little gem done. Happy Reading~<em>


	2. Chapter 1: Home Again

**Chapter One: Home Again**

**Ashleigh's POV**

I had spent the past two months traveling abroad with my mom and dad. Going from different fashion capitals of the world and showing them my designs that I felt were immature, though the Japanese designer, Sakiya Mizaku took a liking to my work and asked if I could create an entire collection for her. It was my first break into the fashion industry, and I was ecstatic! My parents allowed me to stay in Japan for the last month of my vacation while Mizaku took me under her wing and gave me some direction. With her help in three short weeks, my little sketches were now clothes being worn by models on the runway. It was one of the highlights of my summer vacation. Now with vacation slowly coming to an end and school was just around the corner, I wanted to go and catch up with my favorite fashionista's.

Grabbing my car keys off the counter, I made my way out of my apartment with a few things in tow. The first was a long, white, box that had a present for Rosalya inside. The second, was my apartment keys, and finally my messenger bag that had a huge picture of Sailor Moon as Princess Serenity on the front. I also had decorated the strap with pins I had collected from my favorite video games and anime shows.

Yes, I was a young designer that loved anime and video games. It was rare actually if you think about it, unless there was a designer around my age.

Once I was in sight of Sapphire; my blue Ford Escape, I clicked the button on the keypad to unlock my doors. Placing my bag, keys, and the box in the passenger seat, I buckled myself in before starting Sapphire up and making my way down the street.

Leigh's store wasn't that far from my place, while I could've just walked to the store I wanted to be a bit more discreet and surprise him, Lysander and Rosalya. Once the clothes shop was in sight, I made a turn at the stop light a block ahead of the shop and then pulled into the parking lot from the side. Sliding my keys into my pocket, I hopped out of the car and made my way over to the passenger side, grabbing my bag and then the box before hitting the lock switch on the side of the door.

Things hadn't changed in the two months I had been gone. The same sign was still above Leigh's store, but the posters on the inner side of the windows were new. Probably to announce the fall line of clothes coming in right before school starts, and promotional sales he might be doing. Knowing Rosa, she was probably inside with Leigh either discussing new looks or trying to steal a few kisses. Heck she might be doing both!

As I pulled the door open, the tiny bell above jingled filling the store with its short melody, signaling to anyone there someone just came in. "I'll be with you in a minute!" a familiar voice called out to me from the back. Looking around I noticed no one else was inside the store so I decided to grab the owner's attention.

"Leigh, I better not be walking in on you and Rosa making out AGAIN!" I called out waiting to see if I would get any sort of reaction I was hoping for.

"….no freaking way!" I could hear a female's voice now gaining in volume as a head of silvery white hair peeked out from the back. The grin I gave her got me the reaction I was hoping for seconds later.

"Ash!" Rosalya squealed as she ran up to hug me, my free arm quickly wrapped around the girl as I hugged my friend tightly before pulling back.

"Welcome back! Oh my gosh you have to tell me what it was like traveling abroad! Did you meet any cute guys? What did the designers think of you?!" question after question she kept firing off as I laughed her off a little putting a hand up to stop her.

"Ashleigh! it's so good to see you again" the voice from earlier revealed itself. Coming to stand behind Rosalya was her boyfriend and owner of the clothes store Leigh. Seeing these two really made me glad to finally be back around here, with people that I actually knew.

"Rosa you would have loved Japan, while the food there isn't something we aren't use to over here, the fashion is incredible! I got to work with Sakiya Mikazu . THE Sakiya Mikazu! Speaking of, I have a little present for you from her upcoming line." Handing her the white box in my arms I watched as an eager Rosalya tore it open to find inside a gold colored pleated coat with a sinched waistline and a kanji buckle in the front that symbolized 'love'

Rosalya took one look at it and a huge smile was on her face "It's absolutely gorgeous!" she said as she pulled the coat from the box and held it up to her figure looking over at Leigh to see what he thought.

"It'll look beautiful on you Rosa, in fact it will go great with those white boots that have the gold lacings on them" I watched as the two talked about what to pair her new coat with while casually looking around the store.

"Oh Ashleigh, those designs you sent me over the summer could you come here for a moment?" Leigh asked me as I walked back over to him and he showed me over to the male section of the store, pointing out to a few different pieces while I looked over them.

"I can't believe you actually made them Leigh! Have we had any sellers yet?" I asked with an eager expression on my face, though I tried to not get my hopes up just in case.

"The grey blazer, along with the tie shirt and a blue dress shirt sold a few days ago, then someone bought that black jacket and a red shirt to go with it, the biggest seller you made was the military inspired outfit. Someone came in yesterday and bought the entire ensemble" knowing that clothes I had designed, were selling at Leigh's store made me as happy as when I debuted my first line back in Japan.

"Speaking of that military outfit you should have seen the guy that bought it. Absolutely gorgeous! Whoever his parents were they made one hell of a good looking boy." Rosalya said as she leaned over the counter looking at me while Leigh shook his head.

"Now come on Rosa, there's more to a guy than his looks" I teasingly joked as I walked over to the counter with Leigh and she stuck her tongue out at me.

"True, have you heard anything out of Ken?" As she changed the subject I felt a part of my heart shatter at the sound of his name. I sadly shook my head and she placed a hand on my arm. "Stay positive, you're bound to hear something out of him before school starts, I'm sure he misses you just as much as you miss him."

I spent the next hour or so talking with the two as we discussed about future ideas for our designs, and then we talked about Ken more.

It had been almost a year since I saw Ken. The last time I saw him was on an early school morning waiting for me outside the door. He was so sad when he came to tell me his dad was putting him in military school. I remember holding back tears as he hugged me one more time before presenting me with a parting gift. A little teddy bear with a t-shirt that had a heart on it, that teddy bear went with me when I traveled and was now resting on my bed back at my apartment. It was in reality the only thing I had left of Ken besides pictures we took together when school started and a little pink ring he gave me when we were kids.

After we finished chatting, we said our goodbyes and I got back into Sapphire and drove on back to my apartment. Once I was back inside I went into my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed, pulling my teddy bear into my arms.

"I miss you Ken, I wish it was you I was hugging instead of the bear, but I know you'll be home again soon. I'm keeping to our promise, so I hope you are as well." With that said, I finally succumbed to a peaceful slumber with dreams of my cookie monster and I.

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><p><em>AN_

_Chapter One is complete! Now Chapter Two is where Ashleigh and the others will be back in school, and that's where things will get very more interesting._

***Sakiya Mikazu is a fictional character made for this story. **

*** Ashleigh's appearance will be described in the upcoming chapter! **

Happy Reading~


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